NJD trade for Kessel

Thats a bad return for pittsburgh

What kind of a return would you be expecting?

Players that are proven. Pittsburgh is in their "win now" mode. Young prospects that need time to develop and draft picks really do not help pittsburgh right now (I know you didn't add draft picks, I'm just stating that). Essentially the Pens are trading their best scoring forward coming off a 90+ point season and in my opinion their best dman (struggled last year but I still think he's their best dman). So heres my opinions on the players you want to give up in the trade:
Kinkaid- Pens have Murray, Jarry, DeSmith, so he is not needed
Bratt-Very young and solid player, but he only played 1 season and only had 35 points, so he's still a question mark imo
Severson- I do not know much about him tbh, but if Letang bounces back next year like the old Letang, then pitt will have a great dman
Mcleod- Hes a center, which is Pittsburghs biggest strength. Also he's very young and a unknown. Could be a bust, but could be solid.

All in all I interpreted the players coming to pittsburgh that they are young and unproven in a situation where pens are in a win now mode and need already proven players.

I'll try to reason again. Pittsburgh may be in win-now mode but that doesn't mean they don't want to have cap flexibility. You may lose Kessel but with your resume you will have no problem attracting free agents to replace him such as JVR, Neal, etc. Letang is mostly a cap dump, who they'd happily move away from. That also gives them a chance to sign someone like Carlson. I didn't pick those 2 for just those reasons. They weren't at their best in the playoffs and just standing pat with underperforming players looks bad on management. With Bratt you get a 2nd/3rd liner for 700k and he's only going to get better. Goaliewise I think they miss Fleury and probably aren't happy with what they have. Kinkaid gives them that 1-2 punch they miss, and you're not going to find someone more cost efficient in the goalie FA.

If Pittsburgh can get Neal or JVR, then Id be in favor of trading Kessel 100%. I do not like the idea of trading Kessel for young and unproven talent unless they can sign a replacement during free agency. Also, I do not think your assessment of Letang is fair. Yes, he struggled a lot last year, but his entire career was extremely solid, so I think people should lay off of him a bit because of 1 bad year. If he bounces back next year, then he's a very solid 1D and a player people on the team can look up to. And Kessel and Letang did struggle in the playoffs, but so did most of their team. Other than Murray, Crosby, Hornqvist, and Guenztel, nobody else showed up in the playoffs. Letang struggled all year and Kessel played hurt in the playoffs which is why he struggled. Pittsburgh shouldn't trade them 2 because they didn't win 3 straight cups. And if Bratt us a 2nd/3rd liner and only 700k, why wouldn't you want to keep him for your future? Yeah pitt does miss Fleury as a teammate and player, but Murray is a very solid goalie and is younger and cheaper. Even if they kept Fleury, pitt was still going to lose against Washington. DeSmith and Jarry are good enough to be backups.